Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said Monday that she deliberately chose the Oregon Historical Society and its "Racing for Change, Oregon's Civil Rights Years'' exhibit as the setting for her swearing-in ceremony to "address the elephant in the room.''

She described an era of early policing in the nation's history when sheriffs enforced segregation in the South and officers received political payoffs to turn a blind eye to a politician's illegal prostitution or drinking.

"Here in Portland, the issue of racial inequality and displacement still lurks in the undercurrent of a very progressive city,'' Outlaw said moments after she was formally sworn in as the city's first African American female chief. The ceremony comes after Outlaw has been in the job for three and a half months.

"We cannot effectively address crime reduction and community engagement and inclusion or organizational excellence through an equity and inclusion lens if we ignore our history.''

She dismissed critics who might say her recounting of the past is "divisive'' or "race-baiting.'' No, Outlaw said, an understanding of the city's history should be the starting point for "transformation and positive progression.''

"How can we begin the healing process without first acknowledging what was?'' Outlaw said to a crowd of about 150 invited guests including friends and family, community leaders, legislators, police chiefs from around the state and state and federal law enforcement leaders.

"The history of the civil rights movement in this country, and most important in this city, has a direct impact on how we effectively serve the Portland community. When we know better ... we do better.''

Outlaw said she'll strive to build trust between officers and the community, use data to identify problems and allocate resources to reduce crime, emphasize de-escalation tactics in training for officers, hold officers accountable and support officer safety and wellness.

"True community policing is a philosophy that will be interwoven into the fabric of the Portland Police Bureau,'' Outlaw said. "It is not a thing, nor is it a box to be checked.''

She also urged citizens to make their own contributions and work together with the Police Bureau to improve the city.

"I challenge us to move beyond our fears of the unknown and to embrace the commonalities that we all share,'' Outlaw said. "If we are to be effective, we must first seek to listen and understand the perspective of those who differ from ourselves.''

She took jabs at critics who questioned why she got council approval for $365,000 to hire a new deputy chief when she already has three assistant chiefs or suggested she was too young at age 41 or inexperienced to serve as chief of a metropolitan police force.

"I wonder if the deputy chiefs of my male counterparts in major cities throughout this country are referred to as helpers rather than the true No. 2 in any CEO or COO relationship,'' she said, drawing applause. "I wonder if anyone asked Mark Zuckerberg about his age founding Facebook or anyone questioned Bill Bratton when he first became police chief.''

Her address came after a violent weekend in Portland, which included a homicide downtown and a shooting on the Fremont Bridge. The chief, though, highlighted "little to no incidents'' during mass protests and marches in the city on Saturday.

While Outlaw's executive team and the police honor guard were present, most officers in the bureau watched her remarks on a live-stream video due to space restrictions at the historical society.

"Thank you for accepting me and still being willing to push and work hard through times of newness and uncertainty,'' Outlaw said to officers. "There's class act people in this bureau and I'm humbled to be able to work with them.''

Mayor Ted Wheeler, who also serves as the city's police commissioner, said Outlaw was selected to improve the Police Bureau and pledged his continual support. "We are a team, and I stand with Chief Outlaw,'' he said.

Fellow Oakland native and Outlaw's friend, actor Russell Hornsby, served as master of ceremonies. Carmen Sylvester, the first African American woman hired by the Portland police in November 1973, swore in Outlaw as chief. Saeeda Wright, a soloist with the Oregon Symphony, sang the "Star Spangled Banner'' and "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing.''

Chief Danielle Outlaw's father Tyrone Bowman admitted that he was uncertain about his daughter's career choice years ago when she joined the Oakland Police Department. "She said some time ago to me that, 'One day I'm going to be police chief.' I knew that she would get here,'' Bowman said.Maxine Bernstein|Staff

Outlaw's father, Tyrone Bowman, who admitted he had at first questioned his daughter's career choice when she joined the police academy in Oakland, said he was proud of her, but not surprised.

"She said some time ago to me that, 'One day I'm going to be police chief.' I knew that she would get here,'' he said.

Friends from Xi Gamma Omega, her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.'s Oakland chapter, urged her on from the audience as Outlaw paused, overcome by emotion, when she spoke of her mother, who died two years ago.

"We think it's an incredible accomplishment,'' said Tamika Greenwood, who flew in with friends for the day from Oakland to attend the event.

Former state Sen. Avel Gordly sat in the front row. "I'm so excited and just so filled with hope,'' Gordly said, noting that Outlaw is a terrific role model for young African American girls.

Musse Olol of the Somali American Council said he encouraged Outlaw when he met her to hold her ceremony at the historical society, not at City Hall, as past chiefs have done.

"We're not just hiring another chief. This is an historic moment,'' Olol said. "I'm really excited to be a part of it. It's quite a moment of progress.''